


Something Worth Fighting For

by thesometimeswarrior



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Birth, Fatherhood, Gen, Parenthood, Protective Parents, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-06-09 02:09:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6884956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesometimeswarrior/pseuds/thesometimeswarrior
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why do we keep doing this, Molls? Bringing children into this world?”</p><p>Arthur reflects as Ronald Billius Weasley is born into a world at war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Worth Fighting For

The tears on his cheeks are partly out of happiness, but only partly. The infant, Ronald, Ronald Billius— _Ron_ , he suspects—wails, as is natural, an effect of the air new on his new lungs, as Arthur knows well by now after five other births. 

But he feels like wailing too, for reasons that have nothing to do with the novelty of the air, but rather its tension, its darkness, the fear every moment that a curse would fly through it, or else an owl with a letter informing them that yet another loved one was dead. And he wants to wail because of the question lodged in his lips:

“Why do we keep doing this, Molls? Bringing children into this world?”

“Because they give us something precious to fight for,” says his wife simply, already holding the new baby boy to her breast. “They give us a reason to end this war. And we will.”

“ _Can_ we? Can Dumbledore, even?”

“We haven’t got a choice, have we? Not now...”

Arthur gazes at his new son, kisses his head like a promise. _I will fight for you. And your brothers. I will keep fighting until the fighting is done. You will grow up, one day, in a world without this war, and without this fear, and danger. You’ll see._ “I’ve got to get back to the Order, Molly.”

“I know. Go. Tell them all the good news.” _Remind_ them _what’s at stake here_.

He nods after he’s kissed her. Then he makes a move to leave but turns back to her from the threshold. “Is it enough?” _The love we both feel, more and more with every new son, the infinite love that a parent has for each child—is it enough light to drive away_ all _of this darkness?_

“There’s nothing more powerful.” _If it’s not, nothing is. It’s our best hope._

And Arthur marvels at his wife’s strength and resolution. 

He is scared. Terrified. More and more with every new son. He is sure they are supposed to have the reverse effect, that he should draw strength from the pounding in his chest. But he can’t help but feel that the organ bouncing around painfully inside him just means that he has so much more to lose. But he will nonetheless try. What more can he do? He proceeds out the door.

“Arthur.” He whirls around at his wife’s words. “Come home. To your sons. To me.”

He nods, then turns away quickly, determined not to let Molly see the tears of apprehension that have suddenly prickled at his eyes. What if, this time, he doesn’t? What if, when next he stays home and _she_ goes to fight, _she_ doesn’t? What if his next words are a lie? 

“I will.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


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